Stabilizer for boots for crosscountry skiing

ABSTRACT

The stabilizer comprises a rigid soleplate, which transmits longitudinal forces and is disposed below the heel and extends forwardly, at most, to the ball region of the foot. Two supporting elements extend upwardly from the longitudinal sides of the soleplate. At least one of said supporting elements is hinged to the soleplate. The supporting elements embrace the ski like a bandage at least with their end portions. Means for bracing the supporting elements relative to each other are secured to the supporting elements.

United States Patent 1191 Mark 1 1 Dec. 4, 1973 15 STABILIZER FOR BOOTS FOR 3,538,627 11/1970 Labat-Camy 36/25 AL CROSSCOUNTRY SKIING 3,636,642 1/ 1972 Walther 36/25 AL [76] Inventor: Hannes Marker, Hauptstrasse 5 1-5 3 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany 22 Filed: Mar. 14, 1972 [211 App]. No.: 234,554

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 25, 1971 Austria ./f 257 1/7l [52] US. Cl. 36/2.5 AL [58] Field of Search 36/25 R, 2.5 AL

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,530,594 9/1970 Vogel 36/15 AL .Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Att0rneyMa1-tin Fleit et a].

[57] ABSTRACT The stabilizer comprises a rigid soleplate, which transmits longitudinal forces and is disposed below the heel and extends forwardly, at most, to the ball region of the-foot. Two supporting elements extend upwardly from the longitudinal sides of the soleplate. At least one of said supportinglelements is hinged to the soleplate. The supporting elements embrace the ski like a bandage at least with their end portions. Means for bracing the supporting elements relative to each other are secured to the supporting elements.

15 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATFNTEU DEC 4 1975 SHEET 10F 5 ZSATENTEUBEE mars $775,866

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will be released from the ski binding '1 STABILIZER FOR BOOTS FOR CROSSCOUNTRY SKIING The present invention relates to a stabilizer for boots for crosscountry skiing, which boots comprise a sole which at least behind the ball region of the foot can be bent out of the ground plane.

Boots for crosscountry skiing are light sports boots, which are provided with a flexible sole and with a soft upper, which terminates generally below the ankle so that they will not hinder the rolling of the foot on the crosscountry ski during the walking movement. Such boots may well be used also for walking or running without skis but cannot be used for downhill skiing because they are too flexible and their upper is so short that they will not sufficiently support the ankle joints of the skier and cannot be connected to the ski by means of a safety ski binding so firmly that controlling forces can be exactly transmitted to the ski and that the boot under predetermined limiting loads.

For this reason, a skier who intends to practice both crosscountry and downhill skiing requires at least two weight boots for crosscountry skiing and a pair of firm boots for downhill skiing. It will be desirable if the latter are provided with inner boots. To a skier, this requirement involves the disadvantage that in addition to incurring the costs of procuring two pairs of boots he must provide the space .for keeping the boots or for transporting them, e.g., together with his baggage when traveling to or from his winter holiday resort.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a remedy in this respect and so. to improve and design a boot for crosscountry skiing that it is equally well adapted for both sports, namely, crosscountry skiing and downhill-skiing, and also enables a convenient walking or running without skis;

According to the invention this object is accomplished by the provision of a stabilizer for boots for crosscountry skiing, which boots havea sole which at least behind the ball region of the boot can be bent out of the ground-plane, and this stabilizer is characterized by a rigid soleplate, which transmits longitudinal forcesand is disposed below the heeland extends forwardly,

at most, to the ball region of the foot, by two supporting elements, which' extend upwardly from the longitudinal sides of the soleplate and at least one of which is hinged to the soleplate and which at least with their free end portions embracethe skiers leg like a bandage, and by means which are secured to the supporting elements and serve to brace the supporting elements against each other. The use of this stabilizer eliminates the need for a special pair of expensive boots for downhill skiing. When the skier desires to practice downhill skiing, e.g., after crosscountry skiing, he must merely se cure the stabilizer according to the invention to his boot for crosscountry skiing to have a fully satisfactory boot for downhill skiing available. Because the stabilizer by no means adversely afiects the flexibility of the sole of the boot for crosscountry skiing in the ball region, the boot even with the stabilizer secured to it may be used very well for walking or running without skis.

In a development of the invention it has proved particularly desirable to secure the supporting elements non-detachably to the soleplate and to use them as means for securing the soleplate to the boot. In this way the need for additional means for securing the stabilizer hill skiing.

to the boot for crosscountry skiing is eliminated. Alternatively, the soleplate may be non-detachably secured in or to the boot, and the supporting elements may be secured to the soleplate so that they can be arbitrarily detached therefrom.

To enable an adaptation of the stabilizer to different forms of legs, it has been found suitable to hinge both supporting elements to the soleplate and to enable a fixation of one of the supporting elements in different angular positions relative to the soleplate. In this case the adjustment may be effected in that the adjustable supporting element is released, moved to the desired angular position and fixed therein. When the two supporting elements are then. braced against each other, the second supporting element will automatically assume its proper operative position.

A particularly simple adjusting and fixing arrange-- ment will be obtained if the soleplate is provided at its rear end with a bearing bracket, which extends vertically upwardly and is provided with a' tapped bore, which extends in thelongitudinal direction of the boot, and clamping screw is threaded in said bore and has a shank extending through a curved slot of the supporting element which can be fixed, the center of curvature of the slot lying in the hinge axis of said'supporting element.

An even more exact adjustment and fixation of the adjustable supporting element will be enabled if the adjusting and fixing means comprises a tapped sleeve pivoted to the rear end of the soleplate, a bearing sleeve pivoted to the supporting element which is adapted to be fixed, both sleeves being pivotally movable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the soleplate, and an adjusting screw, which has an end portion which is rotatably and axially non-displaceably held in the bearing sleeve and a free rear end portion threaded into the tapped sleeve.

The stabilizer may be used to protect the skiers leg from mechanical action from the outside. For this purpose it has been found most desirable to provide supporting elements in the form of half-shells, which embrace the boot for'crosscountry skiing and the skiers leg andwhich embrace also the heel and extend forwardly, at most, to a point ,over the instep: Each halfshell will suitably consist of two parts and the two parts of each half-shell are interconnected. to be capable of a limited pivotal movement about an axis which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the boot so that the skier can lean forward as desired during down- -In this case, the adjustment of the stabilizer to the skiers leg may be improved in that the upper part of each half-shell is connected to the lower part of the same half-shell so as to be capable of a limited pivotal movement about an axis which extends in the longitudinal direction of the boot andis adapted to be fixed in any angular position.

.For use with crosscountry skiing boots having uppers which terminate below the ankle, the half-shells of the stabilizer according to the invention extend above the upper of the boot for crosscountry skiing and may be cushioned on the inside at least in this region so that the stiff half-shells will not pinch the skiers leg and an in- The means for bracing the supporting elements relative to each other may suitably consist of at least two buckles or two toggle fasteners. For a fixation of the stabilizer andof the boot for crosscountry skiing to a ski for downhill skiing, the soleplate is suitably provided at least with means for cooperating with a heelholding safety ski binding.

In a further development of the invention, a boot for crosscountry skiing, whihc is adapted to be provided with a stabilizer which has just been described may be provided with an impact-resisting toe box and its sole may be provided with surfaces which are disposed in front of the toe box and engageable by the soleholder of a toe-holding safety ski binding. By this design of the boot, the toe portion of the foot will be protected from rearwardly and downwardly directed impacts and the boot may be used with almost any known toe-holding safety ski binding. In such boot for crosscountry skiing, the foot will be protected from impact and cold also in the region between the toe box and a stabilizer which has supporting elements in the form of half shells, and the walking or running movement will not be hindered, if a jacket of flexible elastic material is provided on the upper or the like of the boot in the region between the toe box and the half-shells.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be explained more fully and by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a boot for crosscountry skiing which is secured to a crosscountry ski by means of a crosscountry ski binding,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the forward portion of the boot for crosscountry skiing shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing a stabilizer for the boot for crosscountry skiing shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the stabilizer of FIG. 3 in position ready to receive the boot for crosscountry skiing.

FIG. 5 shows the stabilizer of FIGS. 3 and 4, which is held by means of a safety ski binding on a downhill ski and in which a boot for crosscountry skiing is inserted.

FIG. 6 shows a boot for crosscountry skiing and a soleplate of a second embodiment of the stabilizer according to the invention, which soleplate is nondetachably secured to said boot.

FIG. 7 shows the boot for crosscountry skiing according to FIG. 6 with a complete stabilizer.

A boot 1 for crosscountry skiing is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and by means of a crosscountry ski binding consisting of a toe iron 2 and a centering pin 3 (see FIG. 1) is secured to a crosscountry ski 4. This ski binding is known and for this reason is not described more in detail. The boot 1 for crosscountry skiing comprises in its toe region an impact-resisting toe box 5, which is adjoined at the rear, toward the lacing, by a jacket 6, which surrounds the upper of the boot and consists of flexible resilient material, and affords substantial protection from cold and mechanical action. As is more clearly apparent from FIG. 2, the sole of the boot 1 is provided in front of the toe box 5 with a metal fitting 7, which has two notches 8. When the boot for crosscountry skiing is used as a boot for downhill skiing, mating teeth of a toe-holding safety ski binding can engage these notches 8, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

FIGS. 3 to 5 show a stabilizer according to the invention which permits the use of the boot for crosscountry skiing shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as a boot for downhill skiing. The stabilizer comprises a stiff soleplate 10, which transmits longitudinal forces and is provided with two hinges 11 at each of its longitudinal edges. By means of these hinges ll, two supporting elements for the skiers leg are non-detachably hinged to the soleplate 10. These supporting elements consist of two halfshells 12 and 13 (see particularly FIG. 4), which are made of rigid plastics material and are split approximately on the level of the ankle 2. The two parts 14 and 15 of each half-shell 12, 13 overlap in part and are pivotally interconnected by means of two headed pins16 so that the upper part 14 of each half-shell 12, 13 is capable of a limited pivotal movement relative to the lower part 15 in the longitudinal direction of the boot.

A bearing bracket 17 extends verticallyupwardly from the rear end of the soleplate 10 and is formed with a tapped bQre, not shown, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the boot. A clamping screw 18 is threaded into this tapped bore, and the shank of the screw 18 extends through a curved slot 19 (see FIG. 4) in the heel portion of the half-shell 12. The center of curvature of the slot 19 lies in the axis of the hinge 11 which holds the half-shell 12. By means of the clamping screw 18, the half-shell 12 may be fixed in different angular positions relative to the soleplate 10. This adjustment of the angular position of the half-shell 12 enables an adaptation of the stabilizer to the form of the leg of the individual skier. The half-shell 13 can be secured to the half-shell 12 by means of two boot buckles 20, which are provided on each half-shell and are not described more fully because they are known per se.

FIG. 4 shows the stabilizer in a position ready to receive the boot 1 for crosscountry skiing with the halfshell 13 swung laterally outwardly. When the boot 1 for crosscountry skiing has been laced on the skiers foot and has been inserted into the stabilizer, the half-shell 13 is swung up and by means of the buckles 20 is braced to the half-shell 12. The half-shells 12 and 13 then closely embrace the skiers leg and provide a firm lateral support to the ankle joint so that controlling forces can be transmitted to the ski during downhill skiing. To ensure that the stiff half-shells 12, 13 of the stabilizer do not pinch and thus inflict pain on the skiers leg, and to prevent an ingress of snow and water, the half-shells are provided on the inside with a soft cushion. I

In accordance with FIG. 5, the stabilizer and the boot for crosscountry skiing are secured to a downhill ski 22, e.g., by means of a safety ski binding which forms the subject matter of the US. Pat. Application Ser. No. 142,144 filed May 11,-197-1, in the. name of the same inventor and for this reason is not described more fully. For this purpose, the soleplate 10 is provided at its rear end with an aperture 23 in the shape of a double wedge (see particularly FIG. 4). The aperture 23 serves to receive a retaining member 24 of the heel-holding safety ski binding 25. For the same purpose, the soleplate 10 is provided at its forward end with an extension 26, which is engaged on top by a holding-down member 27 that is secured to the ski. The soleplate 10 is provided on its underside with a substantially cylindrical recess 28, which receives a centering pin 29 rigidly secured to the ski.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a second embodiment of the stabilizer according to the invention. In that embodiment a rigid soleplate for transmitting longitudinal forces is non-detachably secured to a boot 31 for crosscounry skiing. In other respects, that boot corresponds to the boot 1 for crosscountry skiing shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The soleplate 30 extends forwardly below the heel and approximately to the ball of the foot. Two halves of hinges 32, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the boot, are provided on each side of the soleplate 30. The respective other halves of said hinges are provided on two supporting elements, which consist of half-shells 33, only one of which is shown in FIG. 7. By means of these other hinge halves, the supporting elements can be fitted on the hinge pins. The half-shells 33 are substantially similar to the half-shells 12, 13 of the preceding embodiment but are detachably connected to the soleplate 30 and for this purpose are provided each i with an aperture 34, which is disposed adjacent to the hingeand permits the half-shells to be rearwardly withdrawn from the hinge pins of the soleplate 30.

To avoid a repetition of the specification, corresponding parts of the stabilizer shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and of the boot 31 for crosscountry skiing are provided with the same reference characters as in the preceding embodiment. For instance, the soleplate 30 is provided at its rear end with a clamping device, which comprises a clamping screw 18, which enables a fixation of one half-shell 33 in different angular positions relative to the soleplate 30 and also prevents normally a separation of the hinges. When the two half-shells have been braced against each other, again by means of the buckles 20, the second half-shell 33 too can no longer be automatically separated from the soleplate The soleplatev 30 comprises suitable fixing means for a safety ski binding such as has been shown in FIG. 5. It is emphasized once more, however, that the boot for crosscountry skiing provided with the stabilizer according to the invention may be used together with any commercially available safety ski .binding. As has been. stated hereinbefore, the notches-8 at the forward end of the sole of the boot for crosscountry skiing may be provided'for this purpose.

Because the stabilizer according to the invention does not extend forwardly beyond the ball region of the foot toward the toe portion of the foot, the rear portion of the sole of the boot for crosscountry skiing can be bent out of the ground plane so that the walking or running movement is by no means hindered, as contrasted with conventional boots for downhill skiing, which have a sole that is rigid throughout.

What is claimed is:

l. A stabilizer for boots for crosscountry skiing, which boots have a sole which at least behind the ball region of the boot can be bent out of the ground plane, characterized by a rigid soleplate, which transmits longitudinal forces and is disposed below the heel and extends forwardly, at most, to the ball region of the foot, by two supporting elements, which extend upwardly from the longitudinal sides of the soleplate and at least one of which is hinged to the soleplate and which at least with their free end portions embrace the skiers leg like a bandage, and by means which are secured to the supporting elements and serve to brace the supporting elements against each other.

2. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting elements are non-detachably connected to the soleplate and are used as means for securing the soleplate to the boot.

3. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the soleplate is non-detachably secured in or to the boot and the supporting elements are secured to the soleplate so that they can be arbitrarily detached therefrom. V

4. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that both supporting elements are hinged to the soleplate and one of the supporting elements can be fixed v in different angular positions relative to the soleplate.

5. A stabilizer according to claim 4, characterized in that the soleplate is provided at its rear end with a bearing bracket, which extends vertically upwardly and is provided with a tapped bore, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the boot, and a clamping screw is threaded in said bore and has a shank extending through a curved slot of the supporting element which can be fixed, the center of curvature of the slot lying in the hinge axis of said supporting element.

6. A stabilizer according to claim 4, characterized by a tapped sleeve pivoted to the rear end of the soleplate, a bearing sleeve pivoted to the supporting element which is adapted to be fixed, both sleeves being pivotally movable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the soleplate, and an adjusting screw, which has an end portion which is rotatably and axially nondisplaceably held in the bearing sleeve and a free rear end portion threaded into the tapped sleeve.

7. A stabilizer according to claim 1', characterized in that the supporting elements consist of half-shells, which embrace the boot for crosscountry skiing and the skiers leg and which embrace also the heel and extend forwardly, at most, to a point over the instep.

8. A stabilizer according to claim 7, characterized in that each half-shell consists of two parts and the two parts of each half-shell are interconnected to be capable of a limited pivotal movement about an axis which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the boot.

9. A stabilizer according to claim 8, characterized in that the upper part of each half-shell is connected to the lower part of the same half-shell so as to be capable of a limited pivotal movement about an axis which extend in the longitudinal direction of the boot and is adaptd to be fixed in any angular position.

10. A stabilizer according to any of claim 7, characterized in that the half-shells extend above the upper of the boot for crosscountry skiing and are cushioned on the inside at least in this region.

11. A stabilizer according to claim 10, characterized in that the cushions are adapted to be filled with a suitable material foamed in situ for an exact adaptation to different forms of legs.

12. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for bracing the supporting elements against each other consist of at least two buckles or two toggle fasteners.

13. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the soleplate is provided at least with means for cooperating with a heel-holding safety ski binding.

14. A boot for crosscountry skiing which is adapted to be provided with a stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the boot is provided with an impact-resisting toe box and its sole is provided with surfaces which are disposed in front of the toe box and engageable by the soleholder of a toe-holding safety ski binding.

15. A boot for crosscountry skiing according to claim 14, characterized in that a jacket of flexible elastic material is provided on the upper or the like of the boot in the region between the toe box and the half-shells. 

1. A stabilizer for boots for crosscountry skiing, which boots have a sole which at least behind the ball region of the boot can be bent out of the ground plane, characterized by a rigid soleplate, which transmits longitudinal forces and is disposed below the heel and extends forwardly, at most, to the ball region of the foot, by two supporting elements, which extend upwardly from the longitudinal sides of the soleplate and at least one of which is hinged to the soleplate and which at least with their free end portions embrace the skier''s leg like a bandage, and by means which are secured to the supporting elements and serve to brace the supporting elements against each other.
 2. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting elements are non-detachably connected to the soleplate and are used as means for securing the soleplate to the boot.
 3. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the soleplate is non-detachably secured in or to the boot and the supporting elements are secured to the soleplate so that they can be arbitrarily detached therefrom.
 4. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that both supporting elements are hinged to the soleplate and one of the supporting elements can be fixed in different angular positions relative to the soleplate.
 5. A stabilizer according to claim 4, characterized in that the soleplate is provided at its rear end with a bearing bracket, which extends vertically upwardly and is provided with a tapped bore, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the boot, and a clamping screw is threaded in said bore and has a shank extending through a curved slot of the supporting element which can be fixed, the center of curvature of the slot lying in the hinge axis of said supporting element.
 6. A stabilizer according to claim 4, characterized by a tapped sleeve pivoted to the rear end of the soleplate, a bearing sleeve pivoted to the supporting element which is adapted to be fixed, both sleeves being pivotally movable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the soleplate, and an adjusting screw, which has an end portion which is rotatably and axially non-displaceably held in the bearing sleeve and a free rear end portion threaded into the tapped sleeve.
 7. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting elements consist of half-shells, which embrace the boot fOr crosscountry skiing and the skier''s leg and which embrace also the heel and extend forwardly, at most, to a point over the instep.
 8. A stabilizer according to claim 7, characterized in that each half-shell consists of two parts and the two parts of each half-shell are interconnected to be capable of a limited pivotal movement about an axis which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the boot.
 9. A stabilizer according to claim 8, characterized in that the upper part of each half-shell is connected to the lower part of the same half-shell so as to be capable of a limited pivotal movement about an axis which extend in the longitudinal direction of the boot and is adaptd to be fixed in any angular position.
 10. A stabilizer according to any of claim 7, characterized in that the half-shells extend above the upper of the boot for crosscountry skiing and are cushioned on the inside at least in this region.
 11. A stabilizer according to claim 10, characterized in that the cushions are adapted to be filled with a suitable material foamed in situ for an exact adaptation to different forms of legs.
 12. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for bracing the supporting elements against each other consist of at least two buckles or two toggle fasteners.
 13. A stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the soleplate is provided at least with means for cooperating with a heel-holding safety ski binding.
 14. A boot for crosscountry skiing which is adapted to be provided with a stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized in that the boot is provided with an impact-resisting toe box and its sole is provided with surfaces which are disposed in front of the toe box and engageable by the soleholder of a toe-holding safety ski binding.
 15. A boot for crosscountry skiing according to claim 14, characterized in that a jacket of flexible elastic material is provided on the upper or the like of the boot in the region between the toe box and the half-shells. 